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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2022; 12(13); 1659; doi: 10.3390/ani12131659

Efficacy of Lidocaine Topical Solution in Reducing Discomfort Reaction of Horses to Intramuscular Vaccination.

Abstract: Vaccinations via intramuscular injection are a key component of preventative health care in horses. Development of problematic behavioral aversion to injections is quite common. Our clinical impression has been that topical anesthetic applied to injection sites can reduce the behavioral reaction; however, this has not been critically tested. To blindly evaluate efficacy, either 5% or 10% topical lidocaine solution or 0% control was applied to injection sites for 78 ponies two minutes before intramuscular vaccination. Mean reaction scores on a scale of 0-3 were 0.84 (se 0.18) for 5% lidocaine solution, 0.62 (se 0.14) for 10% lidocaine solution, compared to 1.30 (se 0.19) for 0% control solution. Reaction scores for both the 5% and 10% lidocaine were significantly lower than for the control group. Additionally, the proportion of subjects with a reaction greater than a slight flinch was 2 of 25 for the 5% lidocaine, 5 of 26 for the 10% lidocaine and 15 of 27 for the 0% lidocaine control. For both the 5% and 10% lidocaine groups, the proportion differed significantly from the control. The difference between the 5% and 10% lidocaine groups was not statistically significant. These findings confirm our clinical impression that application of topical anesthetic just two minutes in advance of intramuscular injection can effectively reduce the behavior reaction of horses.
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Publication Date: 2022-06-28 PubMed ID: 35804558PubMed Central: PMC9265039DOI: 10.3390/ani12131659Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research paper demonstrates how the application of a topical anesthetic, specifically a lidocaine solution, before an intramuscular vaccination in horses can significantly reduce their negative behavioral reactions.

Methodology

  • The researchers blind-tested two different concentrations of lidocaine solution (5% and 10%) and a 0% control solution, applied to the injection sites of 78 ponies two minutes before giving an intramuscular vaccine.

Data Collection

  • The horses’ reactions to the vaccination were then measured and given a score ranging from 0 to 3. The lower the score, the less negative the horse’s reaction.
  • Additionally, the proportion of subjects that reacted more than a mere flinch was noted for each group.

Results

  • The mean reactions scores for the horses that were given the 5% and 10% lidocaine solution were 0.84 and 0.62 respectively, which were found to be significantly lower than the score of 1.30 for the horses that were given the content-free control solution.
  • The number of horses that had a reaction greater than a flinch was also much lower in the lidocaine groups compared to the control group. Specifically, this was true for only 2 of 25 horses in the 5% lidocaine group and for 5 of 26 horses in the 10% lidocaine group, while it was true for 15 of 27 horses in the control group.

Conclusion

  • Despite the differences in the reactions within the lidocaine groups, the differences between these two were not found to be statistically significant.
  • The data obtained in the study confirmed the researchers’ initial hypothesis: that the simple and swift application of a topical anesthetic prior to vaccination could effectively reduce horses’ negative behavioral reactions.

Cite This Article

APA
Torcivia C, McDonnell S. (2022). Efficacy of Lidocaine Topical Solution in Reducing Discomfort Reaction of Horses to Intramuscular Vaccination. Animals (Basel), 12(13), 1659. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12131659

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 13
PII: 1659

Researcher Affiliations

Torcivia, Catherine
  • Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, PA 19348, USA.
McDonnell, Sue
  • Havemeyer Equine Behavior Lab, Section of Reproduction and Behavior, Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, PA 19348, USA.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Alvey E, Fielding L, Dennis D, Rhodes D, Deane E, Bouton J. A randomized clinical trial comparing intranasal lidocaine and saline prior to gastroscopy. Open Vet J 2025 Jun;15(6):2915-2918.
    doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i6.62pubmed: 40989629google scholar: lookup
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